TEXAS BISHOP EDMOND CARMODY SHOWS SPUNK

Catalyst July/August Issue 2002

In June, Edmond Carmody, Bishop of the Corpus Christi Diocese, banned both the gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial candidates in the Democratic party from speaking at diocesan churches because of their abortion-rights position. The candidates, Tony Sanchez and John Sharp, are Catholics who say they are personally opposed to abortion but nonetheless support a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy.

We publicly supported Bishop Carmody’s decision, which was based on guidelines the diocese adopted in 1999, with the following news release:

“Many adversaries of the Catholic Church think that now is the time to strike. They sense a Church on the run, with bishops in retreat. But Bishop Carmody has already proved them wrong.

“Because some clergymen have failed to live up to the Church’s teachings on sexuality doesn’t mean that the teachings are flawed. The teachings put a premium on restraint and it was the failure of all priests to internalize this property that led to the scandal. It wasn’t the message that failed—it was some of the messengers.

“By not backing down to those who say the Church has no business speaking publicly on sexual morality, Bishop Carmody has done the Church a public service. Moreover, he has shown that pro-abortion Catholics have no more right to sell themselves as Catholics than do pro-racist Catholics. These are our house rules. It is also the Catholic contribution to diversity.”